Luggage hanger construction



March 10, 1953 H. L. KOTKINS 2,631,080

LUGGAGE HANGER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 2, 1949 [EVEN/Z71 Patented Mar.10, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE HANGER CONSTRUCTION Henry L.Kotkins, Seattle, Wash.

Application November 2, 1949, Serial No. 125,048

13 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a luggage hanger construction and moreparticularly to a novel form of hanger support for luggage and a noveltype of hanger for use therewith.

In certain types of hand luggage, a hanger post generally is providedfor receiving a plurality of hangers positioned thereon to maintaingarments, such as coats, jackets, dresses and the like, in position forpacking. Such conventional post and hanger arrangements, while operablemay be used for packing only a limited number of garments, andparticularly those garments havin relatively bulky shoulder pads, sincethe directly aligned, abutting pads occupy a relatively large volume incomparison with the remainder of the garments. Further, in theconventional post and hanger arrangements, the hangers are suspendedonly at their centers and tipping of the hangers and garments may occurif the load upon the hangers and the post is not balanced.

The present invention now provides a novel hanger support and hangerwhich obviates the foregoing disadvantages. Briefly, the presentinvention comprises a single, depending post extending inwardly into theinterior of a piece of luggage adjacent the center thereof. A supportingchannel may be provided on each side of the post, each channel extendingalongside the post in spaced parallel relation thereto.

The hanger is provided with a central slot for receiving the post andspaced elongated bearing surfaces, one of which is adapted to engage thepost and the other of which is adapted to engage one of the supportingchannels, so that the hange may be positioned upon the post and moved toeither side thereof. The hanger is thus supported by the channel and thepost at spaced points along the length of the hanger.

In this manner, it is possible to alternately stagger the hangerslaterally with respect to the single supporting post with the shoulderpads of the garments supported by the hangers being similarly staggeredlaterally from direct abutting relation to reduce the bulk of aplurality of garments supported by the hangers depending from the singlepost. Also, the hangers are supported at spaced points by the centralpost and the channels extending parallel thereto to prevent tipping ofthe hangers, even though the load imposed thereon is unbalanced.

If desired the channel may be omitted and the hanger supported entirelyby it engagement with the post and by the engagement of a projectingportion thereof with a wear-plate secured to a wall of the lug age abovethe post and extending laterally therefrom.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide an improved luggage hanger construction which permits thestaggering of adjacent garments positioned within the luggage.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide animproved hanger support and hangers therefor, the hangers beingsupported at a plurality of laterally spaced points against tipping andbeing stag ered with relation o one. another to reduce the overall bulkof articles supported thereby.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide anovel hanger support and hanger construction including a single, centralsupporting post, means defining a supporting channel extending in spacedparallel relation to the post, and a hanger for engaging both the postand one of the supporting channels.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide anarticle of luggage equipped with a novel hanger construction, thehangers being supported at spaced points in stasgered relation to thepost to prevent tipping oi the hangers under an unbalanced load and toreduce the bulk of a plurality of articles supported thereon.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a piece of luggageprovided with a novel luggage hanger construction of the presentinvention and illustrating the positioning of a plurality of garments onthe hanger construction;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged View similar to Figure 1 furtherillustrating the novel hanger construction I Figure 3 is a sectionalview taken along the plane III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to. Figure 2 illustrating the positioning ofa hanger upon the hanger post; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective plan view, with parts broken awayand in section, illustrating the hanger post and wear plate construction of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, reference numeral Hi refers generally to an article ofluggage including a side wall H and a marginal wall 12 carried thereby.

The wall it carries on. its inner surface a generally rectangular wearplate Ill secured thereto by means of rivets It. The wear plate 13 ispro vided with marginal flanges i5 extending in wardly from the wall itand terminating in in turned supporting surfaces it. coextensive withthe wearplate i3 and cooperating therewith to define spaced, parallelchannels.

A supporting post 17 is carried by the wear plate M, the post I!comprising a continuous closed band having deflected terminal ears islying flush with the wear plate .13 and secured by suitable means asrivets. [9. The post I! provides a lower supporting wall 2n in spaced-relation to the wear plate 13 and a connecting web portion 21 ofreduced width extending normally to the wear plate [3. The supportingwall 2% of the post I! lies midway between the inturned supportingchannels 16 of the wear plate 53.

Each of the hangers 23 comprises a lower, bowed, garment supportingportion 24 having a central upwardly extending portion 25 provided witha central embossment 26 on one side face thereof. A bracket 21 issecured to each hanger 24 by means of a depending recessed portion 28fitting over the embossment 26 and a rivet 29 extending through thehanger body and the bracket. An auxiliary hanger hook 3B is also securedto the hanger body 24 by rivet 2S and is pivotal thereabout.

The bracket 2'! includes a pair of oppositely directed arcuate arms 3|extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the dependent central portion28, the arms terminating in closely spaced, generally horizontal,inturned bearing arms 32 defining a slot 33 therebetween. The bearingarms 32 have outwardly extending terminal portions 34 and upturnedextreme end ears 35.

The positioning of a hanger 23 upon the post I! is illustrated in Figure4, in which it will be seen that the space 33 between the inwardlyextending arms 32 of the bracket 2'! is of sufficient width to receivethe reduced width portion 2| of the post I! therebetween, although theslot or space 33 is of less width than the supporting wall 23 of thepost ll.

After the hanger 23 has been positioned on the post as shown in Figure4, the hanger is moved laterally to one side or the other of the postwith the terminal end 34 of the outer arm 32 and the upstandingprotuberance 35 thereof being entered in the corresponding channeldefined between the wear plate l3 and the associated inturned guidingportion 18 thereof.

It will be seen that when the hanger is moved to this position, it ismaintained against tipping movement by the closely spaced relation ofthe upstanding ears 35 to the wear plate l3, by the bearing of the armend portion 34 against the supporting surface l6, and also by thebearing engagement of the opposing bearing arm 32 with the supportingsurface 20 of the post H. In this manner, each hanger is firmlysupported by its bracket which contacts, at spaced points, the post i!and one of the channels formed by the inturned surfaces or guidingportions 16 of the wear plate l3.

If desired the portions l and 16 may be omitted in which case the hangeris supported by engagement with the post I! and by engagement of an ear35 with the inner surface of the wear plate 13.

In the illustration shown in Figure 1, a pair of garments G areillustrated as positioned upon a pair of alternately offset hangers 23.It will be noticed from this illustration that the shoulder pads of therespective garments G are offset from one another through a distanceequivalent to that through which the hangers are offset from the centralpost 11. It will be appreciated that even though the load of thegarments G be unbalanced upon the hangers 23, the hangers will not tipthrough any appreciable distance due to the spaced supports provided.for the hanger by the post I1 and the spaced channels.

The hangers may also be positioned at any desired point intermediate theextreme positions shown on the drawings or may be hung centralized inreference to the post l1. They may be locked on the post i! againstaccidental displacement or movement axially thereof by any of theconventional locking means now used with single post hanger assemblies.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginalwall surrounding a storage space, comprising a supporting post extendinginto the interior of said space in closely spaced and parallel relationto said wall, a wear plate interposed between said wall and said supportand having a marginal flange having a surface parallel to and spacedfrom said post, and a laterally movable hanger having a bracket portionprovided with spaced supporting arms movable, upon lateral movement ofsaid hanger, into simultaneous engagement with said post and said wearplate flange surface respectively.

2. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginalwall enclosing a storage space, comprising an elongated wear plateabutting the inner surface of said wall and having spaced terminalchannel portions extending inwardly into said space, a post mountedcentrally of said wear plate and extending inwardly therefrom into theinterior of said space intermediate the channel portions of said wearplate, and a laterally movable hanger having a bracket portion providedwith spaced supporting arms of a span less than the distance betweensaid channel portions engaging said post and one only of said wear platechannel portions respectively to support said hanger thereon in alaterally offset position with respect to said post.

3. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginalwall enclosing a storage space, comprising a wear plate in extendedsurface engagement with said wall and secured thereto, said wear platehaving inturned terminal channels extending transverse to the width ofsaid wall and in spaced relation thereto, a hanger support secured tosaid wear plate in spaced relation thereto and having a centralsupporting portion intermediate the channels of said wear plate andextending parallel thereto, and a hanger having a bracket portionprovided with a pair of spaced elongated supporting arms of a span lessthan the distance between said channels, said hanger being transverselyslidable relative to said plate and said support to position said hangerwith one only of said arms engaging one of the channels of said wearplate and the other of said arms engaging the supporting portion of saidsupport.

4. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising asupporting post having a supporting surface in spaced parallel relationto one of the interior walls of said article, and a hanger having abracket provided with a transverse slot at least partially defined by anelongated bearing surface for engaging the supporting surface of saidpost, said slot permitting lateral sliding movement of said hanger,thereby accommodating the arrangement of a plurality of said hangers onsaid post in laterally offset relation to reduce the overall bulk ofarticles carried on said hangers.

5. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising a singlecentral post having a supporting surface in spaced relation to one ofthe walls of said article, and a, hanger having a bracket provided witha transverse slot defining an elongated bearing arm insertable betweenthe bearing portion of said post and the associated wall of saidarticle, said slot accommodating lateral sliding movement of said hangerbracket relative to said post to offset alternate hangers laterally.

6. In an article of luggage, a hanger construction comprising a wearplate abutting the wall of said article and having spaced inturnedchannels, a supporting post secured to said Wear plate centrallythereof, said post having a supporting surface in spaced relationthereto and in substantially the same plane as said channels, and alaterally slidable hanger having a bracket provided with an elongatedtransverse slot defining adjacent elongated bearing surfaces forengagement with said post supporting surface to accommodate relativelateral sliding movement thereof, and said hanger having outwardlyextending arm portions lying beyond said slot for engaging said channelsof said wear plate one only at a time when said hanger is slid relativeto said post.

7. In an article of luggage, the improvements of a hanger post carriedby a wall of said article and having a supporting surface in spacedrelation thereto, a hanger having a bracket provided with an elongatedtransverse slot defining elongated bearing arms having a gaptherebetween adapted to receive said post and one of said bearing armsengaging a supporting surface of said post upon lateral movement of saidhanger relative to said post to support said hanger therefrom, and theother of said arms extending into closely spaced relation to said wallto limit movement of said hanger about said post.

8. In an article of luggage, a post secured to a wall of said articleand having an inner supporting surface in spaced relation thereto, ahanger having a laterally slotted bracket providing elongated spacedarms having upstanding terminal projections, said arms being adapted toslidably engage the supporting surface of said post with said upstandingprojections in closely spaced relation to the luggage wall supportingsaid post, whereby upon relative lateral sliding movement of said hangerrelative to said post, said movement being accommodated by the slottedbracket, one of said arms engages the supporting surface of said postand the upstanding projections limit tipping movement of said hangerrelative to said wall.

9. In an article of luggage, a marginal wall defining an interior space,a central post carried by said wall, a plurality of hangers each havinga laterally slotted bracket providing an elongated arm having a bearingsurface adapted to engage said post, and means spaced from said arm forlimiting tipping movement of said hanger relative to said wall, wherebysaid hangers may be moved laterally of said post into relative offsetrelation thereto to reduce the bulk of articles carried by said hangerswith said means limiting movement of said hangers relative to said wall,and the slotted brackets accommodating such lateral movement.

10. In an article of luggage, a bearing plate secured to one wallthereof and having spaced inturned bearing ears, a hanger supportmounted between said ears and in substantially the same plane, and aplurality of hangers, each having oppositely directed elongatedsupporting arms defining corresponding slots and adapted for engaging asupporting surface of said ears and post respectively, whereby saidhangers may be moved laterally, with said slots accommodating suchmovement, to offset relation to reduce the overall bulk of articlescarried thereby.

11. In an article of luggage having side and marginal walls defining aninterior space, a hanger construction comprising a supporting postsecured to one of the article walls and having a supporting surface inspaced relation to a wall of said article, and a plurality of hangerseach having a laterally slotted bracket secured thereto, said bracketincluding oppositely directed elongated supporting arms having centralportions for slidably engaging the supporting surface of said post andouter portions extending into closely spaced relation with a wall ofsaid article, said hangers being laterally slidable with respect to eachother into oifset relation while maintaining said supporting arms inengagement with said post and said outer portions preventing tipping ofsaid hangers about said post, the lateral slidable movement of saidhangers being accommodated by said slotted brackets.

12. A hanger construction for an article of luggage having a marginalwall enclosing a storage space, comprising a hanger post projecting fromsaid wall into said space and having a portion extending transversely ofsaid wall in spaced relation thereto, spaced supporting surfaces alsoextending transversely of said wall in directions parallel to said postand in spaced relation thereto, said supporting surfaces also beingspaced from and substantially parallel to said wall, and a hanger havinga bracket providing central bearing surfaces and outer bearing surfaces,the distance between said outer bearing surfaces being less than thedistance between said supporting surfaces, each of said outer surfacesbeing adapted to engage a respective one of said supporting surfaces,and one of said central bearing surfaces being adapted to concurrentlyengage said post, whereby said hanger is retained and supported in aposition laterally offset from said post by the engagement of one ofsaid central bearing surfaces with said post and one of said outerbearing surfaces with its respective supporting surface.

13. In an article of luggage, a supporting post carried by one wall ofsaid article, a laterally shiftable hanger having a bracket providedwith terminal outwardly projecting arms having a gap therebetweenadapted to receive said post when said hanger is laterally shiftedtherethrough and having bearing surfaces on either side of said gap foralternatively slidably engaging said post, and that arm opposing saidpost engaging bearing surface extending into closely spaced relation tosaid one wall to prevent tipping of said hanger about said Dost.

HENRY L. KOTKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,274,045 Derman Feb. 24, 19422,479,831 Goodman Aug. 23, 1949 2,518,603 De Leonardie Aug. 15, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 160,325 Germany May 3, 1905 382,385Great Britain Oct. 2'7. 1932

